The Osceola times., 1887-12-10
BEETRUS JENKINS
Was Happily Disappointed In a
Traveller"

Bcctrus Jenkins' called the owner
Of the name, sending her high clear
voice through the boxed space which
served as po,t-oficc window.
"Yc-. m responded the postmaster,
with that joking freedom which adds so
much spice to the life Of a general
siore-kecpcr at "A South Illinois railroad
station Three letters this time. He's
writing nearly every day
"lt wear, on you to keep track of my
CORES -pondrncc, don't it?' affirmed the
gir, taking her letters and rcndiug
them open with impatient forcfngcr.
They were all addressed, in the same
mercantile hand. to Miss Beatrice Jcu-
kins Wabash Station, Illinois She
compared the dates of the postmark~,
and opened the earliest, standing by
the door to read
The smoke-dimmcd interior of the
store was hung with baskets, dry goods,
bacon, cady-madc clothing. and boots
and shoes. \ skeleton flight Of steps
ascended across q background Of wall
TO the proprictor's residence, and up
this flight Of steps went a neighbor's
barrfouted child with coilec-pot TO
borrow some household necessity, while
Bectrus read her mail She was a spot
Of mellow color betwixt brilliant au-
tmu tints outside and the dim inclos-
urr. The slim, long-fngered hands
holding her letters were nicely gloycd.
Her white hat was covered with plumcs
Just owning the -amon-pink tint Of her
small wooden shawl. Her dress was
neutral and unobtrusiye Not so. how
ever, were her black eyes and glowing
checks, or the dark hair clustering TO
her ears. She was very pretty girl,
and this the statien-mastcr always mem
tally admitted. He came out of his
po-,-oflice cubby with the mailbag in
hi, hand.
$50 you're going to clear out to-day,
Brc?'
She glanced up. perccptibly starting
and coloring.
Coin by rail or by rivcr?'
"Oh!' said Beetrus. "Yes, we're
going up the river. Our things are
packed on the White Dove. We'd have
TO go 50 far around and pay so much
freight the otherway. But don't like
10 60 on freight boat, aud neither
does ma, though the men are just ms
kind and clever as they can be- We
have TO sit up on deck all night, too,
among the machinery and grease
Yes, You viii It's twelve hours
run bctwiNt this and New Harmony
against the current The White Dove
start, about three o'clock VIII You
be down any during the winterP'
81 guess not Our man and his wife
can tend to every thing on the farm.
We never do run back and forth any
after cold weather sets in
And | suppose you'll put the time
in danein' and takin' music lcssonsP'
at isn't SO very lively in Harmony;
brt I'm going on with my music
That isn't the trainp'
Yes, it is. responded the station
master. swinging the mailbag as he
walked forth to keep appointment with
the black and Kissing locomotive sliding
70 It's brief pause.
Bccirus flew through the store, ran
down the back steps, and sheltered her
seIi in woods which stretched away
toward the Wabash. Swift rs her exit
was, she scarcely escaped the eye of q
young man who swung himself off the
train, sample case in hand. His face
Wlnkled humorously, which it could
very wei do, being pleasant mus
arhod face in spite of the marks of dis
spalion il bore. His trim dress and
brisk air bespoke the prosperous COM
mercial traveller. He went indoors
and swept a business-Iike glance around
before the train steamed away; there
lore. by the time the station-master had
put up the mail and served one or two
customers, he had u satisfactory order
written out. and profcS,ed himself
ready to mount the next train, for
Nhlch ne would have to wait quite TWO
hours.
"oh, you know how to put the time
ln' said the station-master, "as long
as We have any pretty girls left in the
neighborhood."
The drummer smiled out of the back
door at huddle of two or three cabins
and board huts, as if the capacity of
such place for producing pretty girls
was too contemplate joke for him to
meddle with. He said he guessed he
would go down TO the landing and see
IL he couldn't get skiff awile
Betty Jenkins win be down that
WY, " suggested the station-master.
"She was In here minute ago"
Kan from me- said the drummer.
I'D kind of advise her to, If she
hadn't" said the station-keeper.